The Agreement, signed in October 2017, will save private health insurers $1.1 billion in payments for medical devices over the next four years, and helped deliver the lowest private health premium increase in 18 years in December 2018.

A key part of the Agreement was the undertaking by Government to accelerate the process of listing non-implantable medical devices on the Prostheses List, to allow more Australians access to cutting edge technology.

“We welcome Minister Hunt’s commitment to the medical technology industry, that if re-elected, they will continue to honour the Agreement signed in 2017,” said Ian Burgess, MTAA CEO.

“The Agreement has provided certainty for the industry and delivered the lowest private health insurance premium increase in 18 years.

“The Government’s undertaking to list non-implantable devices on the Prostheses List has resulted in patient access to life-changing catheter ablation technology through their private health insurance.

“We look forward to many more cutting edge medical devices being made available to patients as part of this ongoing process,” Mr Burgess said.

In the event of a change of government, MTAA would actively contribute to the ALP’s proposed Productivity Commission review of private health insurance, however, Mr Burgess emphasized that it is important that the reforms that result from the Government’s Agreement with the MedTech industry continue to be progressed.